Patricia Unterman has taken a post shopping trip to Claude Lane and comes across the perfect “place to sip a glass of California wine on tap” at the alley’s newcomer, Claudine. She finds the “simple, pure, colorful and perfectly dressed” salads immensely pleasing, but warns that “someone in the galley at the back is radically undercooking some of the food.”
Per usual though, Patti gives a somewhat glowing review of the place — also saying that the “desserts are worth dropping in for” (especially the s’mores in a jar) and that she sees “Claudine becoming a true neighborhood hang.” [Examiner]
Over at the Guardian, Virgina Miller heads to Cowgirl Creamy instead of filing a review, thus we turn to L.E. Leone at Cheap Eats. He hits up The Bay Leaf in Oakland where he embarrassingly spills catfish and macaroni and cheese all over the floor! Still, he says the fried oysters are the best he’s had “in the Bay Area since the Gravy days.” [SFBG]
And The Chron’s Michael Bauer heads to Palo Alto’s fine dining establishment, Baume. While he says that chef Bruno Chemel’s “talent is clear,” many of the dishes “slightly missed the mark.” “Diners should expect more” of the pricy wine pairings, but the three-course dessert presentations were “a highlight.” In the end, Bauer awards Baume three stars noting that the food can be great, “but it needs time to rise to four-star status.” [Chron]
